Illuminated sign



Jan. 29, 1935. H. J. CUDNEY 1,989,401

ILLUMINATED SIGN Filed April 16, 1932 INKENTOR g A TTORNEYS Patented Jan. 29, 1935 UNITED STATES? poration of Nw"York This application isa continuation inpartfof' and a substitute for my co-pendirig application Serial Noi 587,032, 'filed Januaryi'16/ 1932, for llluminated'signs.

This invention relates to" imtrbvemnts in? signs of the kind wherein the display characters are illuminatedj by electroluminescent tubes" which outline the area within which the display characters are arranged and more particularly theinvention is 'concernedwith' such a sigh which the display characters are'interchangea'lble" in order that the matter dispiayed 'i'naybe'varie'd' atwill.

signin a display'window in close proximity toe, glass panel thereof so that it will attract the at tenton'of passers by. A, g The electroluminescent tubesare' connected to suitable transformersiwhich areadapted to provide' current of thenecessary voltage, the trans? formers" being preferably locatedata remote 7 point in orderto avoid detracting from" thefap pearance of the sign" or the window. The principal object'ofthe inventionis't'o pro vide "for facility in interchanging the display charactersthis object contemplating a construc tiori in which'the' display'characters are aoces sibl'ef 'f'rom' the rear of the sign, thereby enabling? interchanging of the display characters from the rear of the sign when acce'ssto the display charf acters cannot be conveniently had from the front of the sign without disturbing its position.

A still further object is a novel arrangementof I the parts of the" sign'wh e'reby simplicity in con struction and'in the assembly of the parts is ob'-" tained.

A still further object is to provide a novel: means of support for the display characters whereby the latter when illuminated appearf from"a short distance'to be suspended in space without any 'visible means of support.

The invention isillustrated in the" accompany ing drawing in which:

structed in accordance with'tli'e' invention.

Figure2 isia top" plan view of the sign, the"? latter being shown arranged behind the glass v I r characterse panelfof a display or show'window.

A sign of the typegenerally described is of the so-called indoor type and. in the 'u sfe'o'f suchfa, s'ign'it is the practice to suspend or support the I A furtherobject is to provide forthe supporti of the sign in'such amanner that thedisplay: characters may be presented in the desired plane.

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a sigricon' I gure 4 is j enlarged 'section taken 1 along line ofifigure 1,

Figure 5 is fa; detailisectiori .tali'en" along line Fi ure is an enlarged detail section" taken" na1 ne =6dffi l f-y. ..Y. A Figu'r 'l is a' de t I Qtionthrodghongof the supporting rods'and' is taken alongiine' 7- -7 of Figure lg w 4 V The e gas ill s ra eidi' in'cl de'sa a e which adapted to carry the display characters; 9. Thesaid frame may be of any suitable con? struction. j As "shown, it includes horizontal rods IL ri r r nnectedta the r en st 'a d u i po'rtedilith id ire is ace rela ibnbyj dfb 15 11;: The-rods "'1" Q are'fpre'fe'rably arrangedinpairs'; ere i yqn r r od o chi w o i f-(ji play characters.

This adds jina The? characters ar iil w ,z n l a wears i a M lane; display character'sfthe'reior carry ho'oks '12 sheet 13 is' thusfisuppofr'fted behind the displafi Which'appearfjirif relief "relative to" Theshee'tHB,

the" back and hence the T the end bars 11.

The tube is supported in the position described by a pair of arms 17 which aresecured at the opposite upper corners of the frame 8 against The securement of 'the arms 17 may be conveniently effected by mounting the arms upon the ends of the upper rod 10 ofthe j upper pair of rods. The arms 17, as best shown in Figures 3 and 4, are formed at their outer ends to provide open rings 18 which resiliently engage the tube and support the latter in'the desired position. The rings18 enable the tube to' be secured to the arm 17 quickly and without the necessity of tools. The rings also enable convenient'reinoval of the tube when occasion may require, for example, when. it is necessary to refill the tube or to replace the latter.

The arms 17 are availed of in connection with wires 19 in the support of the sign. The connection'between the bars 17 and the wires 19 is preferably effected through the agency of clips 20.1 The latter frictionally engage the sides of the bars 17 but are slidable along the latter betweenthe rings 18 and the frame 8. The wires 19 "are adapted for connection to convenient overhead structure and are of such a length as to suspend the sign ,at the desiredfheight. The clips 20 are adapted for movement along the bars 17 so that the sign maybe balanced in such a position'that the display characters are presented in the desired plane. The clips, there.- fore, are available to initially balance the sign as well as to compensate for any overbalance which may subsequently result becauseof the rearrangement or replacement ,oi' the display characters, the electroluminescent: tube, or other parts of the sign.

A sign of the type generally. described is commonly referred to as an indoorsign and its.

principal' useis in connection with display or show windows. When employed in this connection,"the sign is usuallysupported' a short distance'behind the glass panel of the window in order that it will attract the attention-of passersby. The sign is illustrated in this connection in Figures 2' and '3 in which the display or show window is 'sufiiciently illustrated by a showing of one of theglass panels 21 thereof. When employed in the manneriillus trated, it is preferredthat when the sign is once arranged in the position desired that there be no necessity for further movementor change in position of the sign, this being desirable in order to' prevent disturbance of the lead-wires 1611 by which thecurrent is supplied to the tube and to avoid injury to the tube. It .will be apparent, therefore, that the permanencyof the position of the sign cannot be attained whereaccess to the display characters may be had only from the front of the sign, the glass panel 21 of the display or show window preventing convenient access to the display characters from this side of the sign.

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that the present invention contemplates a construcrod which carries the sheet. acters 9 are thus rendered accessible from the rear of the sign and they may be interchanged at will.

tion in which interchangeable display characters are employed and in which the interchanging of the display characters may be conveniently effected, when the sign is once arranged in the desired position, without the necessity of disturbing the position of the sign or the lead wires to the electroluminescent tube. When it is desired to vary the matter displayed, the sheet 13 which provides the background for the characters is lifted slightly to disengage the hooks 12 from the The display char- It will be apparent that the sign has characteristics which render it highly desirable for advertising purposes. The display characters employed in connection with the sign may be in sets, the characters of each set having different characteristics as, for example, color or style. Theremay also be a number of backgrounds having different charactersistics adapted to be employed in connection with the sets of display characters, thereby providing a wide variety of contrasting effects. If desired the sign may be employed without the use of a background, this use of the sign having the advantage that a considerable portion of the interior of the window behind the sign is visible through the latter.

I claim as my invention:

1.'In a sign having interchangeable display characters, the combination of a frame including means by which the said characters are supported in the desired arrangement and an electroluminescent tube outlining the area within which the said characters are arranged and adapted to illuminate said characters, said tube being supported by and in front of said means, said means being formed'to enable access to said characters from the rear of the sign, whereby the interchanging of the display characters may be effected from the rear of the signwhen access to the display characters from the front of the sign cannot be conveniently had Without disturbing the position of the sign, said means having high light absorptive characteristics so that'from a short distance the saiddisplay characters appear to be suspended'in space without any visible means of support.

2. In a sign having interchangeable display characters, the combination of a frame including horizontal spaced elements by which the display characters are supported in the desired arrangement and an electroluminescent tube outlining the area within which the display characters are arranged and adapted to illuminate said characters, said tube being supported by and in front of said frame, the spacing between saidelements being suflicient to enable access to said' characters from the rear of the sign, whereby the interchanging of the display characters maybe effected from the rear of the sign when access to the display characters from the front of the sign cannot be conveniently had without disturbing theposition of the sign, said elements having high light absorptive characteristics so that from a short distance the said display characters appear to be suspended in space without visible means of support.

3. In a sign having interchangeabledisplay antiwar-ms carried-:by qsaid frame by g which said tube'is supported in front of said display characters, the spaces between saidelements being suffie cient teenableaccess to said characters from the iear; of ,theisign-, whereby the interchanging of thedisplay characters may be effected from the rear; of the sign when access to the displaylcharacters from-the front ofthe-sign cannot be convenientlyhadwwithout disturbing the position-of 1.0 the, sign, said elements havinghigh light absorptive haracteristics so that from a short distance the saidscharactersappear to be suspended in space without :any visible imeans of support.

hi-ln -a zsign' having interchangeable display characters; the combinationof a frame including means-by which thedisplay characters are supported--in-;the desired arrangement, an electroluminescent tube outlining the area withinwhich thesaidgchara'QtQrs are arranged and adapted to inifront of thesaid display characters, said means beingformedto enable access to said characters from;-,the--rear-;of-the sign, whereby the interchanging of; :the display characters maybe effected from the rear of the sign when access to the display charactersfrom the front of the sign, cannot be conveniently had without disturbing actersyare arranged and adapted to illuminate a the:sai -d;characters,arms carried by said frame display charactersand clips carried by saidarms aniby t-whichthe sign may be suspended,- said clips being slidable along said arms to balance the 5c sign-so that-the display characters are presented in the desired -plane,- said frame being formed to. enableaccessto saidcharacters from the rear of therfiig t, whereby the interchanging of the dis-' playgeharactersmay be effected from the rear of the sign-when access to the display characters fromthe front of :the sign cannot be conveniently ghadt without disturbing the position of the sign,-

6-,.In;-;a sign having interchangeable display 5 characters, the combination of aframe by which the'display characters are supported in the desired arrangement, aneelectroluminescent tube outlining the; area within which the said characters-,arelar-ranged and adapted to illuminate the said-characters andarms carried by said frame by yvhich said tubeis supported infront of said characters, said arms being formed to resiliently engage said tube so that it may be readily attached l'rarrangement;,an electroluminescent. tube outlina illuminate! the said characters and arms carried by said frame and by which said tube issupportedadapted to illuminate saidcharacters; said tube by whichjsaidtube is supported in front of said ingl-thearea-witl'iin which -the said characters are arranged and adapted to illuminate said charac-. ters, said: tube :being supported byzand in, frontier} said frame and a background married bye-saidframe behind said display characters, saidha'clzr- 5 ground being detachably carried by said frame, wherebyit may beremovedjto. enable accessto: said display characters from therea-r of the sign. so that the interchanging of the: display charactersmay be effected from the 'rear, of the sign when access to the front ofthesign' cannot be conveniently had without disturbingthe position of theasign; 1v

8. --Inv a sign having;interchangeable display characters; the combination of l a frameby which the saidcharacters are supported: in the desired arrangement, an-electroluminescent tube outlin-: ing: the areawith-in which the'said charactersare arranged and adapted to illuminate; said charac-e ters, said tube being supported byandin frontofsaid" frame and a' backgroundcarried by said frame behindsaid display characters, said back-- groundbeing detachably' carried by I said frame, whereby it may be-removedtoenable access to said display characters from the-rear of the signso-ithat the interchanging of the'di'splay' characters may be effected from-'the'rearof thesign when 'access to the'front of thesign cannot be conveniently had without disturbing-the position ofv the sign, said elements having high light ab'-' sorptive characteristics so that from: a short dis tance the said characters appeartobe suspended in space withoutany visible means of support.

9.-In a signhaving interchangeable display characters, the combination of a frame including horizontal rods by which the display characters are supported in ythe' desired arrangement, anv electroluminescent tube outlining the area within which the display characters are arranged and:

being supported byvand in-front .of said:frame,: anda background carried by said frame behind. said display characters, said background being detachablyparried by said frame, whereby it may: be removed toenable access to said display char-' acters from the rear'of the sign so that the inter-- changing of saiddisplay characters may be effected fromthe rear of the sign when access to thedisplay characters from the front of the sign cannot be convenientlyhad without disturbing: the position of thesignn 10. Ina signhaving interchangeable display characters, thecombination of a frame including horizontal rodsby which the display characters are supported in. the desired arrangement; an: electroluminescent tube outlining the area within: which the display characters are arranged-andadapted to illuminate said characters, said tube being supported-by andin front of saidframe, a background provided by'a-sheet of suitable ma-: terial and hooks carried by said sheet for'co-' operating'with one of-said rods to detachably'se-" cure said sheet-to said frame, whereby said sheet may be removed to enable access to said displaycharacters from'the rear of the sign so that the interchanging of said. display characters "may be) effected from the rear of the sign when-accessi-to. the display characters from the front of-the sign" cannotbe conveniently shad without disturbing the position of the sign. l

11. In a sign having interchangeable displaycharacters, the combination of a frame including; horizontal rods :by which the: display characters: are supportedzin :the'xdesireda arrangementsian: electroluminescentitubeioutlining; the .area withins which the display characters are arranged and adapted to illuminate said characters, arms carried by said frame by which said tube is supported in front of said displaycharacters and a background arranged behind said display characters; said background being detachably secured to said frame, whereby it may be removed to enable access to said display characters from the rear'ofthe sign so that interchanging of the display characters may be effected from the rear of the sign when access to the display characters from the front of the sign cannot be conveniently had without disturbing the position of the sign.

12.'In a sign having interchangeable display characters, the combination of a frame including horizontal rods bywhich the display characters are supported in the desired arrangement, an electroluminescent tube outlining the area within which the display characters are arranged and adapted to illuminate said characte s, arms carried by said frame by which'said tube is supported in front of said display characters, a background arranged behind said display characters and hooks co-operating with one of said rods for detachably securing said background to said frame, whereby it may be removed to enable access tosaid display characters from the rear of the sign so that interchanging of the display characters maybe effected from the rear of the sign when access to the display characters from the front of the sign cannot be conveniently had Without disturbing the position of the sign.

13. In a sign having interchangeable display characters, the combination of a frame including 'horizontal rods by which the display characters are supported in the desired arrangement, an

electroluminescent tube outlining the area within -izedin the support of the sign,-a sheet of suitable material arranged behind said display characters and adapted to provide a background therefor and hooks carried by said sheet and co-operating with one of said rods'for'detachably securing said sheet to said frame, whereby it'may be removed to enable access to said displaycharacters from the rear of said sign so that interchanging of said display characters may :be-effected from the a rear of the sign when access to the display charac- 65 ters from the front of the sign cannot be conveniently had without disturbing the position of the sign.

14. In a sign having interchangeable display characters, the combination of a frame by which the display characters are supported in the desired arrangement, an electroluminescent tube outlining the area within which the said characters are arranged and adapted to illuminate the said characters, arms carried by said frame by which said tube is supported in front of said display characters and a background carried by saidframe behind'said display characters, said background being detachably secured to said frame, whereby it may be removedto enable aocess to the display characters from the rear of the'sign so that interchanging of the display characters may be effected from the rear of the sign when access to said characters from the front of the sign cannot be conveniently had without disturbing the positionof the sign:

disturbing the position of the sign.

15. In a sign having interchangeable"display characters, the combination of a frame by which the display characters are supported in the -de--' sired arrangement, an electroluminescent tube outlining the area within which the display characters are arranged and adapted to illuminate said characters, arms carried by said frame and by which said tube is supported in front of said display characters, said arms being formed-tof resiliently engage said tube so that its attachment to and detachment from the said frame is facilitated and abackground carried by said frame behind said display characters, said background being detachably secured to said frame, whereby it may be removed to enable access to said 'display characters from therear of the sign so-that interchanging of the display characters may be effected from the rear of the sign when access to said characters from the front of the sign cannot be conveniently had without disturbing the position of the sign.

16. In a sign having interchangeable display characters, the combination of a frame by which the display characters are supported in the de-' sired arrangement, an electroluminescent tube outlining the area within which the display char acters are arrangedand adapted to illuminate said display character, arms carried by said frame by which said tube is supported in front of said" display characters, clipscarried by said arms and by which the sign may be suspended, said clips being slidable along said arms to balance the sign so that the display characters are presented in the desired plane and a sheet of suitable material arranged behind said display characters" and adapted to provide a background therefor;

said sheet being detachably secured to said frame,

whereby it may be removed to enable access to said display characters from the rear of the sign "so that'interchanging of the display characters may be efiected from the rearof the'sign-whenaccess to said display characters from the front of the sign cannot be conveniently had without 17. In a sign having interchangeable display characters, the combination of a frame including means by which the said characters are supported in the desired arrangement and an electrothe said characters are arranged and adapted to to said characters from the rear of the sign, whereby the interchanging of the display characters may be effected from the rear of the sign when access to the display characters from thefront of the sign cannot be conveniently had with out disturbing the position of the sign,said means having characteristics such that from a distance the said display characters appear to be suspended in space without any visible support.

18. In a sign having interchangeable display characters, the combination of a background,

ground, said means being adapted to accommodate various numbers and arrangements of said characters, an electroluminescent tube outlining the area Within which said characters are arranged and adapted to illuminate said charac ters, forwardly extending arms for 'sup'pcrtingj said tube in a plane infront of the plane occu in pied by said display characters, said'tubebein'g means of 05' means forsupporting said characters in front of I and in spaced relation with respect to'said backdetachably connected to the outer ends of said arms, said first mentioned supporting means having high light absorptive characteristics so that the exposed areas thereof do not, to an appreciable degree, act as light reflecting surfaces, whereby from a short distance said characters appear to be suspended in space without visible means of support.

19. In a sign having interchangeable display characters, the combination of a back ground, means for supporting said characters in front of and in spaced relation with respect to said background, said means being adapted to accommodate various numbers and arrangements of said characters, an electroluminescent tube outlining the area within which said characters are arranged and adapted to illuminate said characters and forwardly extending arms for supporting said tube in a plane in front of the plane occupied by said characters, the outer ends of said arms being formed to resiliently engage said tube so as to detachably secure it in the desired relation with respect to said characters, said supporting means having high light absorptive characteristics so that the exposed areas thereof do not, to an appreciable extent, act as light reflecting surfaces, whereby from a short distance said characters appear to be suspended in space without visible means of support.

HARRY J. CUDNEY. 

